TO:           The University Community
FROM:       Dr. David M. La Guardia, Academic Vice President
                Chair, University Planning Group
SUBJECT:       Summary of UPG Meeting, October 10, 2007

Following is a summary of the discussion items from the UPG meeting of October 10, 2007.

D. La Guardia called the meeting to order at 8:38 a.m. in the LSC Conference Room.  He introduced Peter Brigham from Sasaki to begin the Master Plan update.  P. Brigham stated the goals of the Master Plan to be to increase enrollment, improve community relations and use resources wisely.  To increase enrollment the plan calls for improvements in student life and athletic facilities, diversified and improved housing choices, a celebration of flagship academic programs, a clarification of the campus arrival sequence and impression, and addressing parking needs.  To improve community relations the plan calls for clarification of acquisition needs and policies, and addressing circulation and edges of campus.  Finally, to use resources wisely, the plan relocates, reconfigures and retools where possible, and provides focus on phased improvements that make a difference.

JCU has a compact campus of 62 acres with a ten minutes walking diameter.  The Quad is a strong core.  The plan focuses on open space and connections to buildings and programs.  Restoring Hamlin Quad will restore needed open space.  Connections in the plan include reopening the Administrative Drive as well as reaching out to Fairmount Circle.  Also improving the connection across Belvoir is important.  To do this the plan includes a speed table, a raised level of walkway to increase pedestrian safety.  The current draft version of the Master Plan views the campus as being made up of five strong districts:  Kerwick/Carroll district; Athletic Fields district; Historic Core; Academic Core; and a Student Life/Fairmount Circle district.  Highlights of the plan for each district were given.

The Kerwick/Carroll district consists of the twelve houses the university currently owns.  They should remain single-family houses and attract faculty and staff to stabilize the area.

The plan for the Athletic Fields district includes resurfacing the Washington Athletic Fields along with sub-surface parking (500 spaces), as well as adding a fitness center and wrestling room to the RecPlex .  The fitness center would be removed from its current location and moved to a more prominent, glassed addition allowing for the life of the building to show day or night.  Also added would be a new entrance foyer with reception area.  New tennis courts are included along with a plan to resurface the varsity track and field.  Also included is a Belvoir field house with parking beneath.  The ultimate set of improvements produces a “new quad” and a better impression as one approaches from the Belvoir area.

The plans for the historic core involve improvements to Kulas and to the residence halls.  In the plan, Sutowski, Bernet, Hamlin and Campion are renovated, while Dolan, Millor, Pacelli and Murphy are reconfigured into suites.  The plan also includes renovations to the Student Center to make it more student-centric.

The plan for the Hamlin Quad involves demolition of Bohannon, restoring Hamlin Quad in place of the temporary parking lot, opening up the Administration Drive.  There are also plans for two new academic buildings, one on the site of Bohannon (with parking underneath) and one next to the library.  This would be an academic services building of 30,000 sq ft. and would include a visitors’ center as well as the possibility for some one-stop operations.  People would come into campus and see this new quad first.  It would create a great first impression.

The final district, the Fairmount Circle district, would be a great new forecourt consisting of a grassy court within a vibrant new district.  It would be a mixed use district with retail and dining below and loft housing above.  It would be a gracious way for the city and campus to come together.  The district would also include two new residence halls south of the Dolan Science Center.  This so-called Gateway Housing would provide 500 apartment style beds, 250 per building.  The district plans also include the addition of recreation fields along Warrensville Center Road with subsurface parking of 650 spaces.  Some of the Fairmount Circle apartments would also be renovated.

T. Patrick then presented the draft of the master plan in terms of space usage.  Given the goals and the needs of the plan, he showed how that can be accomplished with the space available.  He noted that JCU has a shortage of appropriate residential and student lounge and gathering space.  Residence hall rooms are too small and the majority of them are traditional doubles.  The quantity of the overall academic space is adequate but not distributed well.  There are some adjacency as well as quality issues.  There is also a need for swing space to use for renovation times.  The plan includes re-use of residence hall basement spaces for storage, etc.  Plans for Level 1 of the Student Center involve removing the Corbo Fitness Center and providing more studio space and locker rooms.  Level 2 would get a new entrance foyer and a more visible fitness center.  Level 3 includes space for student organizations and activities, a bridge to the RecPlex gym and an improved wrestling room.

Kulas Auditorium currently seats about 1200.  Seating for 800 to 1000 would better suit JCU’s needs.  While “right-sizing” the space, creating a graceful entry along with rest rooms and improved access, as well as back of house improvements could also be accomplished in the process.  Consideration could also be given to flat floor flexibility.  Space concerns addressed by the plan include matching section sizes to classroom size and improving the efficiency of lab use during the week.  JCU’s research labs are generous.  There are needs to address the size and adjacencies of some departments’ offices.  Creation of some swing space to be used during various renovations is also needed and included in the plan.  In considering Bohannon, three options seemed available:  renovate for $38 M and end with more space than needed (135,000 gsf) and no additional parking; partially renovate (55,000 gsf) for $18 M and end with no additional parking; or construct a new academic building (55,000 gsf) for $20 M with the space used in the interim for surface parking.  This also provides an opportunity for a phased approach.  In terms of the Dolan Science Center, the plan calls for a modification of what we have now.  It includes using the JCCI labs and offices and maximizing the use of student and faculty lab space.  In reallocating any of that space, programs and/or institutes that would complement other existing programs should be identified.

The strengths of the plan include the new arrival sequence for visitors which would be greatly enhanced from the current experience.  There is also the opportunity to provide more of a one-stop shop experience with the addition of a visitors’ center.  The plan also provides an additional 1000 parking spots with all of the new underground spaces.  All of the proposed changes are to occur over a series of up to twenty years.  Sasaki has provided a suggested 4-phase approach.  Phase 1 includes demolishing Bohannon, restoring Hamlin Quad, adding the fitness center, the Gateway #1 Housing, the Washington parking deck and recreation fields, renovating the apartments and adding the academic services building.  Phase 2 includes Gateway #2 housing, residence hall renovation, Warrensville parking deck and recreation fields, new tennis courts, RecPlex improvements, new academic building around Hamlin Quad with sub-surface parking and a welcome center.  Phase 3 includes a Kulas upgrade or renovation, residence hall suite conversion, renovation of the Administration Building and O’Malley, west side retail and housing at Fairmount Circle, west side parking garage, and gateway improvements.  Phase 4 includes natatorium renovation, east side retail and parking, east side parking garage, and a Belvoir field house with sub-surface parking.

Finally, the Master Plan provides several community benefits.  It clarifies JCU’s acquisition plans and growth.  Kerwick/Carroll remains on the city’s tax role and remains as single-family housing.  Strategic growth is toward the Circle and along Warrensville.  This is consistent with the community plan.  It provides resources for the community in terms of expanded recreation facilities for shared use by the community and Gesu.  It also provides parking for city events and for Gesu, lessening the pressure on neighborhood streets.  And it ensures building character and function.

When asked why the Kulas renovation was so late (i.e. Phase 3) in the plan, it was stated that it could really move up depending on the money and needs.  How the plan is phased depends on an evaluation of the needs and financial viability of the projects.  When asked why housing was first, the answer was that enrollment depends upon housing options.  To get back to 4000 students, the Board knows that we need to do all of this now.  In an ideal world, seven to ten years could be possible.  But the plan as it stands now is for four phases, each one of five years.  The estimated cost is $400 M in today’s dollars or $110 M per phase.  In response to the question of how realistic the plan is, R. Dumont said that it is very philanthropy dependent.  He suggested that it would be one-third philanthropy, one-third donors, and one-third outside developers, especially for the college town section.  N. Santilli also reminded the group that this is just one of a three pronged plan:  facilities; fiscal (budget); and academic programs and the student experience.  R. Dumont said that multiple small projects is the appropriate approach coordinated with the other prongs of the strategic plan.  D. La Guardia asked how these phased projects actually work out historically.  R. Dumont said that Sasaki does their job so well that they have been very successful.  Their plans are based upon ideas and visions, not just buildings.  The key is to capture the Board’s imagination.  The first eighteen months is critical and will hopefully provide a snowball effect.

The meeting adjourned at 10:00 a.m.